Revitalisation of the Vidzeme market

Par project PROXIMITIES

Published on 04 mars 2025

Latvia

Latvija

Riga

About this good practice

Vidzeme Market, a historic central marketplace in Riga, has faced decline and inactivity over the past decade. Despite being located at a key transport hub within the historic centre, the market, albeit not peri-urban, is a peri-central area located on the edge of it. It basically is a heat island with worn architecture and has been a seldom visited, crossed and used Black hole between several neighbourhoods. For many, the market is the periphery of Central Riga by its typology, feeling and secludedness.
The municipality prioritised its revitalisation not only by improving the market itself but also by integrating surrounding developments. A key aspect of the project was assessing future urban developments around the market. Office buildings would increase demand for food services, residential developments would expand the customer base, and commercial projects could affect competition. To ensure sustainable development, a 15-minute radius mapping was conducted, analysing traffic flows, amenities, cultural and educational institutions, tourism sites, and potential construction projects. Additionally, multiple focus groups were organised to engage local residents and school students, ensuring that the market’s revitalisation reflects community needs. This approach guarantees a well-integrated, vibrant urban marketplace.

Expert opinion

This good practice illustrates the revitalisation of a historic area in central Riga—the Vidzeme Market—within an integrated urban redevelopment approach. Despite its strategic location, Vidzeme Market had become a neglected and underused space. Recognising its potential, the municipality launched a revitalisation project that went beyond simply renovating the market itself. Using a 15-minute city approach, they mapped traffic flows, amenities, and future developments to ensure the market’s integration into the wider urban fabric. Focus groups with local residents and students helped align the plans with community needs. The regeneration project included mixed-use zoning, incorporating office spaces, housing, green areas, retail, and cultural offerings. This good practice highlights the importance of starting with “soft” interventions—such as greening, community use, and public engagement—which can guide meaningful and sustainable urban transformation. The Vidzeme Market initiative offers inspiration for other European cities seeking to reactivate historic marketplaces through inclusive planning and integrated revitalisation strategies.

Arnault Morisson

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

Funding covered urban research, stakeholder engagement, and planning. Human resources included urban planners, transport specialists, business strategists, and local community members. Some small finance was necessary for landscape (greening) solutions and public events.

Evidence of success

Project successfully engaged local stakeholders through focus groups, and the approach lead to multiple art, culture and activism events, the long awaited weekly Night market. The 15-minute radius mapping provided a strategic framework for sustainable revitalisation, balancing economic, social, and mobility aspects. Putting the market in the centre of 15-minute approach was more purposeful and effective, it responded to local needs, reflected on services and places that already surround it.

Potential for learning or transfer

This practice highlights the importance of integrated urban planning and community involvement first in revitalising public marketplaces. The 15-minute city approach ensures accessibility and sustainability, making it a replicable model for other cities seeking to enhance historic markets as economic and social hubs. The Vidzeme market case reminds of meaningful revitalisation process – begin with “soft city” and community or outdoor improvements, only then the infrastructure or building follows as it’s more expensive and only later rely on the actual needs of the community.